Really dislike my uni course

I have just finished my first term at uni studying history. I like history but I'm not sure I love it. Thinking about my future I don't really feel very inspired and none of the future modules I have coming up sound interesting either. I have no idea what job I would like to do so thought I would study history as I like it and a degree may be useful. Now I'm at uni, I dislike my course, my uni, the town/ environment and really don't want to return in January. Just looking for some advice - did anyone feel the same and it got better? Dropping out sounds very daunting and it wouldn't solve my issues, but I also am not enjoying university. The issue is that if I drop out of my uni, I probably won't reapply to another one and I have no idea what job I would do.

Reply 1

MeFamile

7

Hi there,
It’s completely normal to feel this way after your first term – university can be a huge adjustment, and you’re definitely not alone in questioning your choices. Here are a few steps to help you work through this:

1.

Talk to Your University Support Team – Book a chat with your academic advisor or the university’s wellbeing service. They’re experienced in helping students who feel unsure about their course or environment. Sometimes small adjustments, like changing modules or exploring joint honours, can make a big difference.

2.

Reflect on Why You Feel This Way – Is it the subject itself, the way it’s being taught, the uni environment, or something else? Writing this down might help clarify whether history is the issue or if it’s just part of a broader uni experience adjustment.

3.

Explore Transfer Options – If history isn’t for you, consider switching to a course that aligns more with your interests. You might not need to start over completely – many credits can transfer.

4.

Consider the Bigger Picture – If you’re unsure about future careers, that’s okay. A history degree develops useful skills like research, writing, and critical thinking, which are valuable across many fields (e.g., law, media, teaching, or even business).

5.

Take a Step Back – If you really can’t see yourself continuing, a year out (a break or ‘intercalation’) might give you the space to figure things out without closing the door completely. Sometimes stepping away brings more clarity.

6.

Connect With Others – Join societies, meet new people, and try to get involved outside lectures. Sometimes it’s the social and extracurricular parts of uni that make it worthwhile.

Remember, it’s still early days – most students feel uncertain in their first year, but things often improve with time. If you decide to leave, that’s okay too – it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. You’re taking charge of your future, and that’s what matters.
Take care, and I hope things start to feel clearer for you soon.

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Anonymous

I have just finished my first term at uni studying history. I like history but I'm not sure I love it. Thinking about my future I don't really feel very inspired and none of the future modules I have coming up sound interesting either. I have no idea what job I would like to do so thought I would study history as I like it and a degree may be useful. Now I'm at uni, I dislike my course, my uni, the town/ environment and really don't want to return in January. Just looking for some advice - did anyone feel the same and it got better? Dropping out sounds very daunting and it wouldn't solve my issues, but I also am not enjoying university. The issue is that if I drop out of my uni, I probably won't reapply to another one and I have no idea what job I would do.

I think there's a few different things to consider here so lets break them down a bit.

In terms of jobs - most graduates go into jobs unrelated to their degree, and most generalist grad schemes* don't really care what subject you studied at uni. So unless you suddenly decided you really want to work in a lab or something, your degree subject isn't going to make a difference in those long term areas (there are a couple areas that you may be better placed to go into from a history background though e.g. archives/records management work perhaps).

Spoiler

Regarding your course, I think the thing you need to consider is whether your issue is with the particular scope of the subject at your current uni, or just generally being disenchanted with the subject overall (not considering perceived career outcomes). History courses can be very varied in terms of what periods/regions/themes they focus on and so especially if you didn't have a very clear idea when you applied what area you're most interested in (or conversely, if you were primarily interested in one area e.g. medieval history or something, and have to do a lot of other content outside that area) it may just be the specific course you're on which is the barrier rather than the subject itself. If so then it may well be that a change to a course (even in the same subject) more aligned to your specific interests would work better for you :smile:

Then there is the uni you're studying at itself. You've indicated you don't like the town, uni and environment you're currently in, which can be a big factor, and can affect your academic performance (if you feel miserable all the time you're not going to perform your best - and that often just creates a negative cycle!). There are lots of reasons this could be the case, although I think it is important to understand exactly what it is about those things you are having issues with. As depending on what those things are, these may not actually be specific to your current uni, and may be present at other unis (or indeed, all unis). For example:

Spoiler

I'm not saying that is necessarily the case here but that is something I see often reported as a factor students find off-putting, then try and transfer to another uni and find it's more of the same (I know from personal experience to some extent too! Although I changed course/uni for other reasons too). Equally I totally understand how sometimes a particular uni or city can feel quite isolating or oppressive compared to another just because it's not the right fit for you (for example London can be great for some people, but for others a total nightmare!). So in those cases changing uni can actually "solve the problem" sometimes - although then depending on what the issue is that might constrain your choices of where to move to (e.g. you find your current uni too small/too big/too rural/too city oriented).

Also worth thinking about if there are any underlying issues for you yourself, particularly if you haven't addressed them:

Spoiler

So if you think there might be any element of that I'd definitely recommend speaking to your GP, and potentially also your personal tutor and student union about what pastoral support they can provide! This would really be the most important thing if so to start with, before making any major decisions about potentially withdrawing or reapplying etc. There may also be the option of e.g. interrupting your studies to come back next year to start "fresh" again - if you do have specific health (mental or otherwise) or similar circumstances outside your control driving this (e.g. bereavement), then you might be able to also apply for an additional year of funding from SFE through Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR) to avoid "losing" your "gift year" of funding :smile:

Also it may just be that uni isn't the right fit for you right now. In the end I found that part of the overall problem for me was that I just...wasn't in the right mindset for uni when I first went, and trying to drag it out for me by changing course/uni several times didn't really make a difference, and just made other underlying issues worse (and complicated things later when I did want to return). Whereas now I've returned to uni and have a much better idea of what I'm trying to get out of it, and am much more engaged with my learning and studies. Sometimes it can be worth just taking a bit of time away from education - especially if you went to uni as a school leaver, you've been in full time education for your whole life essentially!

I would say it's something to think about over the break, don't jump into any sudden decisions about it but do keep the different options in mind. Some more practical things to consider:

Spoiler

I've done this myself...more than once suffice it to say though, so I do understand it's a pretty daunting thing to come across, but there are a lot of factors to consider (some of which may be less clear to start with!) so it's good to have the info in advance even if it takes some time to digest it all :redface:

Reply 3

username7295356

0

7

Original post by Anonymous

I have just finished my first term at uni studying history. I like history but I'm not sure I love it. Thinking about my future I don't really feel very inspired and none of the future modules I have coming up sound interesting either. I have no idea what job I would like to do so thought I would study history as I like it and a degree may be useful. Now I'm at uni, I dislike my course, my uni, the town/ environment and really don't want to return in January. Just looking for some advice - did anyone feel the same and it got better? Dropping out sounds very daunting and it wouldn't solve my issues, but I also am not enjoying university. The issue is that if I drop out of my uni, I probably won't reapply to another one and I have no idea what job I would do.

This is pretty much my Uni experience so far as I’m also a first year History student and don’t enjoy it here though I’m planning on transferring at the end of the year. If you don’t want to gamble that another Uni would be a better experience for you and transfer, then maybe you should look at apprenticeships that might peak your interest or look at entering just regular work. But if you aren’t dead certain then i’d say have a look at other unis’ history courses and the unis themselves and try and work out if you’ll be happier there or maybe switch courses altogether

Original post by Anonymous

I have just finished my first term at uni studying history. I like history but I'm not sure I love it. Thinking about my future I don't really feel very inspired and none of the future modules I have coming up sound interesting either. I have no idea what job I would like to do so thought I would study history as I like it and a degree may be useful. Now I'm at uni, I dislike my course, my uni, the town/ environment and really don't want to return in January. Just looking for some advice - did anyone feel the same and it got better? Dropping out sounds very daunting and it wouldn't solve my issues, but I also am not enjoying university. The issue is that if I drop out of my uni, I probably won't reapply to another one and I have no idea what job I would do.

Hi

I think that there will be more people than you think in this position. I would take time over Christmas to look back and consider why you might be feeling like this.

I would then speak to people around you - friends, family, etc and let them know how you are feeling.

I would then speak to the student support team upon your return to the university, they will be able to best support you. In addition to this, I would look at joining societies or a sports team whilst you are at uni as they can be some of the best ways to make a support network at the university.

I hope this helps,

Matt
Wrexham Uni Reps

Really dislike my uni course

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